Mountaineer - Arizona Mountaineering Club

Tom’s Thumb Trail Head- Change in Parking
The City of Scottsdale has made the transition to the new parking lot for the Tom’s Thumb
Trail Head. All members of the public will be required to enter the new Tom’s Thumb Trail
Head via 128th Street. All of the former access points will be closed.
This new parking lot will serve the climbing on the eastern slope of the McDowells (e.g.,
Granite Ballroom and Rosetta Stone), the greater Sven Slab area (Sven Slab, Sven Towers I,
II, and III), Hog Heaven via Mesquite Canyon, the greater Morrell’s Wall climbing (Morrell’s
Parking Lot, Morrell’s Wall), Gardeners Wall, Glass Dome, Goat Hill, Tom’s Thumb, the Rist,
Lost in the Air, Lost Wall, Half and Half, and Fort McDowell. It also will serve as gateway to
the McDowell Regional Park and Rock Knob. If anyone wishes to have updated route information
please contact me.
The main entrance point to the Tom’s Thumb Trail Head is south of the intersection of Ranch
Gate Road and 128th Street. Most climbers coming from the south and west will take advantage
of coming east on Happy Valley from Pima. Continue on Happy Valley easterly past 104th
Street/Alma School and go through the Troon development. Happy Valley curves north on the
east side of Troon Mtn and becomes 118th Street. Follow 118th Street a short distance and look
for the brown signage to the Trail Head. You take a right/east off of 118th Street on to Ranch
amcaz.org 10